Since graduating from the University of Auckland, Arion has been busy building a successful career in the IT sector.

What was your Ficino graduation year?

I graduated in 2011.

What have you been up to since you left Ficino School?

Life has kept me very busy in the years since I left Ficino. After high school I attended Auckland University, graduating in 2023 with a BSc in CompSci, and a BCom in Information Systems. Alongside university, I spent several years managing a small retail business and doing freelance IT work, something that was as challenging as it was rewarding. I’m now working as a Network Engineer at Atturra, where I build and maintain networks (such as the Internet) across NZ, Australia, and various other places around the world. In my free time you’ll usually find me working on a project car of some description, or hanging out with my friends, family and/or cat.

What was your favourite subject at Ficino and why?

My favourite subject at Ficino was probably Drama.  In the early days of the school my family lived on site (what was our house has now been converted into the Science room), and outside of school hours I’d often find myself sitting in on weekend rehearsals helping build the stage and backdrops, or lending a hand with the lighting. Once I was a bit older, I got involved with the lighting design, sound effects, filming, and various other behind-the-scenes work to support “making the magic happen” for the production. In addition to that, I ended up in the lead role of Prospero in The Tempest during Year 8 – something that certainly challenged me, but was also lots of fun.

Favourite school meal (and least favourite)?

To this day, the Ficino macaroni cheese is unbeaten! My least favourite would be anything with raisins in it – still not a fan of raisins.

Please share a vivid memory from your time at the school.

There are so many! One memory that stands out from the rest was walking the ruins of Hadrian’s Villa on the Renaissance trip. I remember sitting in the shade of the trees and having some lunch with my group, then being struck by the realisation that many centuries ago, Emperor Hadrian might’ve been sitting in the same spot enjoying his lunch.

Any plans or dreams for the future?

I’m fairly fresh into my career, so the next few years have a lot of hard work in store for me, while I gain experience and expertise. I’m looking forward to some overseas trips in the near future, but I haven’t had the chance to plan anything yet!

How do you think your time at Ficino has influenced you?

Ficino instilled in me the foundational concepts and morals that shape the way I see the world. I learned to reason, apply logic, communicate effectively, and to appreciate art, architecture, and performance. Perhaps the most important thing Ficino taught me was to focus my attention – although my teachers from the time might not believe me! The superpower of being able to dedicate my full attention to the task at hand, and how rewarding that can be – to “Rejoice in the Present”, if you will – is not something I take for granted.

If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to 10-year-old Arion?

I wasn’t very confident as a kid and sometimes didn’t fit in socially. I’d love to be able to tell 10-year-old me to stop taking himself so seriously and not worry too much about what other people thought!